


Dead Flowers

by yeehaw_yall



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Flowers, Fluff, M/M, anxious boys, blushy boys, keith is just like a broke college kid honestly, kiss kiss, klance, lance is like kind of a gardener???, pining nerds, supportive shiro yess, texas is a fireman, yes i have shadam for your soul
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-06-30 12:03:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15751305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeehaw_yall/pseuds/yeehaw_yall
Summary: Keith loved his dad, he really did. That explains why he kept the tradition of taking a flower to his grave every day. Well, technically the flower wasn't his.. he may have stolen them everyday because he was broke. And the guy who lives there might have just finally caught him one day. So what will happen with this new friendship? Will it become something more? Or will things take a turn for the worse?





	1. Chapter 1

Keith has visited his father's grave every day for the last 7 years. He hears every day how heroic his father was, considering the circumstances of which his father died.

He was a fireman, and one day, 7 years ago, a house was on fire. Everyone was thought to be out until the screams of a little girl, no older than Keith at the time, were heard through the crackling sound of the wood burning.  
Shriek  
He wasn’t the first to hear this. He didn't hesitate, he ran straight into the flames, the only thing on his mind being Keith at home. He would want someone to save Keith if Keith were stuck, so he rushed, trying to find the girl. Another scream was heard. This sound led him to a room upstairs, which is exactly where he rushed to. 

Upon reaching there, he saw the girl trapped behind a few burning boards, and he immediately started speaking smooth, soothing, in his deep southern accent. “Hey darlin’, I've got you, I need you to stand still for me, can you do that?” She nodded her head, tears streaming down her face. She stares into his eyes, feeling calmer than before, despite being in a burning building. He quickly lifted each of those boards, feeling the intense heat even through his suit, and within just a few seconds she was freed from the boards. He gave her his mask, knowing full well that her lungs were already filled with smoke. He rushed to get her downstairs, but as soon as he put her down so she could walk out the door, the building collapsed on him. That afternoon was the last time that Keith had seen his father, the last time he saw his dad walk out that door to save lives. 

Even at the funeral all that was heard was how heroic his father was. People walked up to him, giving him their sympathy, saying “he died, but he saved so many others.” and Keith was so angry. He was so terribly angry that his father would risk his own life for someone else's, that his father would die for someone else and leave him here with nobody else. By the time the fourth person walked up to him, his emotions took control and he stormed out of that church so fast, for a 10 year old he was speedy. 

The whole way to, well, wherever the hell he was going, he was cursing. Cursing whoever it was that made the earth, whoever it was that thought it would be a good idea to take his father. He was cursing everything he could. All his anger caught in the wind. He shouted, but every sound seemed muted, maybe it was his heart pounding from the running and rage, maybe it was the world trying to drown him out. But at this point Keith was in the forest, sprinting past every tree, feeling suffocated. He couldn't breathe, he had to stop, he had to stand still, something. The reality of everything was getting to him. He only had Shiro now. 

Shiro saw Keith rush off from the service, so he followed him. He trailed Keith, careful not to let him know he was there quite yet. He saw Keith slow down, heard his breathing get faster, and he stopped. He sat himself down right there, in the middle of the forest, breathing heavy, and Shiro slowed his pace until he was right there next to Keith. 

“Can I sit here?” Shiro said, startling Keith. The 10-year-old nodded, wiping tears from his face. “Look kid, I'm not going to give you the ‘Your father was a great man’ speech, because I know that you know that more than anyone else in this world. I just want you to understand that I'm here for you, under any and every circumstance.” Keith sniffled, trying to find his voice. “I just… Why would anyone do that? Why would he go in there and save them and die himself when I need him more than anything? Why the hell would he do that?” Shiro had put his arm around Keith, “Keith, I can't tell you exactly what was going on in your father's mind when he went back into that building, but I'm sure that the whole time, he was thinking of you.” Keith was sobbing at this point, he had turned to Shiro and pressed his face into his chest. They sat like that for about an hour, by the time Keith was done crying and had what he thought to be the worst headache of his life, and Shiro had all the snot and tears any man could possibly have on a single shirt, they got up and went to the grave site. 

Walking there Shiro had started talking, “You know, maybe we should start a tradition. Like everyday we go and get a flower, and we come see your dad and give him that flower. How does that sound?” Keith gave a quick nod, feeling like anything else would only make his head hurt worse, and just like that, they set a tradition that would be carried out for years. 

····················

Keith hadn't had the money lately to go buy a flower every day for his father, but he noticed this house with a garden that had so many flowers that nobody could possibly notice a few go missing. This went on for about a week before the person who lived there noticed. 

On that surprisingly beautiful Monday afternoon, Keith was on his way to his father's grave, just like every other day for the past 7 years. He stopped at the beautiful garden yet again, selecting only the most deserving of flowers. As he was looking through each and every one, the guy who lived there very sneakily walked outside.

“Hey.” The guy said, scaring Keith almost out of his skin. He slowly turned to find probably the most intimidatingly beautiful person standing over him, tan, almost caramelized looking skin, and probably about the tallest person that Keith knows besides Shiro. “Ummm, hi?” Keith looked like an actual panicking disaster. The guy looked Keith in the eyes, offered his hand to help Keith up, a kind smile on his face. “So, you're the guy who's been taking flowers from my garden.” He said, not even questioning Keith, he just knows. “I- well, I-umm, well. I'm really sorry, I just, I'm broke and I can't pay for flowers and I happened to see all these and I jus-” Keith was interrupted by the beautiful creature. “Listen, it's fine. There's no harm done, I'll forgive you.” Keith was so relieved by this, his face relaxed quite a bit, he began to thank the guy when he suddenly said, “But under one condition.” and this made Keith’s heart sink. “Yeah?” The guy looked determined, “You show me the lucky girl, I wanna know if she's worth this thievery of my flowers.” Keith tried to explain, tried to tell the guy that it was for his father’s grave, “Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go Mullet.” And all Keith could think was Oh man, this is going to be an interesting walk. 

·················

“So, we've been walking together for the past 20 minutes, you got a name?” Keith said, after realizing that they never actually exchanged names. "Everyone calls me extremely handsome, charming, literally best person in the whole world and model material, but i guess you can call me Lance.” He pauses to wink at Keith, with this gesture Keith has to really try to not look like a chaotic gay disaster. “What’s your name? Wait let me guess! Edgelord? Mullet? Percy Jackson wannabe?" Keith softly laughed. “You know what? You can totally call me Edgelord, but the name is Keith.” Lance couldn't help but chuckle, he's got a sense of humor. 

They got closer and closer to the cemetery and Keith felt his chest tighten, he hadn't even thought about how he'd tell Lance about this. “Well, here we are…” He mumbled. “But, this-this is a cemetery?” Lance said, worried about what he'd gotten himself in to. “Yeah… About that… I kinda steal the flowers to put them at my dad's grave.” Keith could barely bring himself to say it to a stranger, especially when he was still struggling to say it to himself. “Oh. Oh my God, I'm so sorry, now I feel like such a jerk-” Keith already felt bad for Lance, I mean, he brought the guy here for Christ's sake. “No, no, it's fine. Really.” Lance, well, he was panicking, so he was rambling. “I was here talking about some girl, and you put them near your dad's grave.” Keith was just trying to get Lance to stop apologizing at this point “No, no it's fine, you didn't know.” Lance just felt so terribly about all of this, he couldn't help but apologize repeatedly, “yeah, but I'm really sorry, again.” “It's all good, anyway it's not like I'm into girls.” Keith said this just casually, not expecting Lance to have the reaction he did, “Yeah, th-WAIT WHAT?” Keith was not ready for that level of loud. He had to shush Lance and tell him not to yell, I mean, they're in a cemetery after all. “Oh, yeah, um, sorry.” And Lance became a blushy freaking disaster.

··················

The next day, Keith was going back towards the cemetery and found himself in front of Lance's house. Lance was standing outside holding a flower and waiting for Keith. They both begin walking side by side, and Lance asks, “So, how did it happen? Your father?” Keith froze up, but by now he should be used to telling this story, telling the origin of the tradition and how he lost his father, but it still hurts just as much as it did the first few times. But he told Lance everything. From the little girl, to him running into the woods, to living with Shiro since then. He held back tears the whole time too. Lance had nothing but admiration for Keith and his father by the time the story was over. 

······················

It's been 8 months, the boys have been walking to the cemetery with each other every day for the last 8 months, learning more and more about each other. Keith had learned that Lance was the youngest of a family of 6, and had a niece and a nephew, while Lance learned that after Keith's dad died, Shiro and his boyfriend Adam had raised him. They learned each others favorite colors, favorite places, most embarrassing moment, everything. 

One day, after months of walking to and from the cemetery, Keith is walking to Lance's house so they can walk together. Lance was standing on his porch holding a bouquet behind his back. After 8 months, he was finally going to ask Keith out. He already had everything planned if Keith said yes, and he was really hoping it would be a yes. With every step closer Keith was, the more anxious Lance got. The anticipation was killing him. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. 

Keith could see something peeking out from behind Lance's back, this made him feel like, like anything could really happen. He was getting suspicious. Was Lance proposing? Platonically? Like, what could be happening? Each step, another second closer to knowing what Lance is holding, another step closer to Lance possibly having a mental breakdown. 

Lance met Keith on the sidewalk, still hiding the bouquet behind his back. “Hey Lance, whatcha got there?” Keith said, gesturing to the mystery object. Lance got somewhat anxious by this point, but he pulled the bouquet out from behind his back, and almost stumbling over his words. “Keith ‘Edgelord’ Kogane, would you like to go on a date with me? Anywhere you want? Any time, like, I dunno. We could do anyth-” At this point, Keith had got on his toes, and kissed Lance, mostly just to make him stop rambling. “Yes, Lance ‘Charming’ McClain, I do want to go on a date with you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Panic, panic, panic was all the boys were doing. Panicking was their only function, overthinking being one of the many side effects, and both boys were greatly affected.

(Keith’s POV)

“Piiiiiiiidgeeeee, nothing matches, nothing looks good. What the hell am I supposed to be wearing? I don’t know how to dress for ‘A Date With A Super Hot Guy™’ ughhhhh.” I’m panicking, struggling to really think. Pidge isn’t exactly helping either… “Keith just wear that same red shirt and black tie combo you do for everything. That’s date normality. And really, you don’t own anything else, soooooo-” I’m digging through my closet, looking for any hope of anything that isn’t my cropped jacket or my black jeans. 

At this point I’ve thrown everything I own onto my bedroom floor. “You know, for a guy who spent so much time in the closet, you sure don’t know your way around yours. Let alone having variety.” I reach for the closest thing to me and throw it at her, and she didn’t even flinch. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how powerful a little sass monster can be. “For someone who’s talking trash about my closet, you sure do have the smallest change in outfit everyday.” I watch as she hurriedly moves from her spot on my bed, to my spot on the floor just to tackle me. I don’t even try to stop her, she knocks me straight (ha, nope not touching that joke) on my back and says, “Don’t knock my style Kogane, I’ll tell Shiro.” I would typically say “blah blah blah, threat threat threat.” But I'm not really feeling so up to sarcasm. “Just get off of me and help me. Seriously help me. This can't just be something I could wear everyday, Pidge. I stole flowers from this guy's garden for weeks, and then took him to my dad's grave. Do you know of anyone else who would get caught stealing flowers and ending the day with ‘hey come see my dad's grave so I can tell you this extremely depressing story about my life and how freaking heroic my dad was’ because I can count exactly zero people.” Holy fuck, am I talking too loud? Did I get over excited? Wow this is really overwhelming. “Keith, buddy, bro dude, my favorite gay emo, chill the fuck out, it's gonna be fine. Just maybe, MAYBE you could switch it up and do black shirt, red tie. How about that? Yes? No? Maybe so?” I take a moment to think about it, while also ignoring Pidge's emo comment. “Do I even own a red tie? Pidge, this is a disas-” she cuts me off, “Keith your entire closet screams 2006 Emo Aesthetic, when MCR started dressing like that you went out and decided to buy 4 black dress shirts and 4 red ties. You didn't even get different brands, you bought 4 of the EXACT SAME SHIRTS AND TIES. So don't try to tell me that your emo ass doesn't own the exact thing I just told you to wear.” Yet another jab at my emo lifestyle, but that was the best purchase of my lifetime and nobody can convince me otherwise. “Well if you're so sure then you look.” she huffed and hesitantly started digging. 

(Lance's POV)

"Hunk I own nothing good to wear, like all my clothes are terrible, where are my good formal clothes. God why did i ask him out? This was a bad idea. He's gonna look at me and like run away! I just ruined the cool friendship we had going there. Huuuuunk, hellllllp.” This is the most panicked I've been since, since, well, maybe that AP test in high school (which I passed, by the way). Hunk is just sitting there on my couch, eating those incredibly gooey chocolate chip cookies that he made. “Lance, it's been 5 hours, you've been doing this for 5 hours. Seriously, take a break, watch some TV, we can bake brownies, OR EAT CHILI FRIES, dude, chill. Just wear what you normally do, you always look pretty damn snazzy in that.” Dammit, of course this stupid date starts in 3 hours, I have zero timeeeee. I'm frantically throwing everything out of my closet, taking every pair of pants I own out of their drawers. Apparently Hunk had picked an outfit for me while I was frantically doing whatever the hell it was.  
“Lance, Lance, dude. Look, this outfit looked good on you last time you wore it, you'll look great, DON'T STRESS ABOUT IT. Hell, this boy stole flowers from your garden for months, now he's stolen your heart apparently AND YOUR SENSE OF RATIONALITY.” I sigh because all I can think is what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore. That freaking emo I swear. Thanks Keith, now I think every bride is a whore and every parade has to be The Black Parade, and that you can only fall out if you’re a boy, or only sleep if it's with sirens, or only wear a veil if it's pierced, or you can only be a bride if you wear a black veil.  
I look to the clock, I feel the seconds drifting away;  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
The clock and it's never ending movement, telling me that it's still continuing even when I'm still. All I need is to put the outfit on. I'll be just fine. Everything is going to go well. I've waited months for this and I'm not going to throw away my shot for nerves and fear of not being enough. “I'm going to get my shit together and I'm going on that date!” I burst out of my room, and Hunk looks completely unsurprised. “I knew you'd come around buddy, it just took a bit of louder toned talking to get you going.” I swear, Hunk has this all knowing aura about him that I feel like no human should have the power to contain. One day he's gonna look me in the eye and tell me I'm gonna die, granted I'll probably be on my deathbed, but hey, he still knows. “Now, let's relax and wait for Keith to show up, wouldn't want to look like a weirdo sitting on your porch waiting for him. Let's watch like, I dunno, the food channel? I think?” He says this only to try to distract me from the fact that I'm a panicking bisexual disaster, but hey, what's new? “Sure Hunk, let's do it.” and with that, we sit on the couch and space out into the world of Cupcake Wars. 

(Keith's POV)

And here I thought I wouldn’t find anything. Pidge did some more digging, and some yelling, and a bit of hitting me. The point is that I found something, or rather, Pidge found something for me. She pulled out this kind of dark purple shirt out of my closet, which I haven't seen since my junior prom. When she pulled the shirt out she glared at me and said, “Well, Mr. Panicked Gay, I've found you a lovely shirt and an impeccably made tie. Now, what shall we do with that hair?” she's mostly sarcastic for most of her speech tonight and, well, it's hard not to laugh a bit. “You know, just the usual, messy and stuff,” I try to sass her right back, but apparently it wasn't effective. “Keith, are you fucking kidding me? Fucking hell,” which coincidentally, she practically yelled after she heard the front door close. From the living room Shiro yells back, using his dad voice. “Pidge, language” to which Pidge, unsurprisingly, replies, “You're right Shiro, I'll fix that, fucking heck. That better?” This happens every damn time, and every time you can just hear Shiro sigh and give up. 

“Are you guys hungry? I can make dinner if you want.” Every time Shiro comes home he asks the same question, even though he knows he really can't cook. Before I can even reply, Pidge is already making fun of him, “Ah yes, I would love some burnt macaroni and cheese, maybe a smoke filled kitchen to help flavor it, you know, the works.” I can't believe I forgot to tell Shiro about my date, shit. “Shiro, actually, I have a date tonight, so I'm going out, I'm sure Pidge would definitely actually enjoy that burnt mac and cheese.” I look at her returning her angry stare, which is about the only thing I can beat her at. Shiro walks towards my room, coming from the kitchen, I can hear his footsteps getting louder and louder. He appears in the doorway and begins to say, “With who? What time? Please tell me you're not going to wear sweatpants.” I make my best shocked face, and answer with my most dramatic voice. “I am appalled that you think so lowly of my style for a date. Absolutely disappointed.” I got my sass out of the way, now, for the real shit. “I'm going on a date with a boy, his name is Lance, I'm supposed to pick him up in about,” I look at the time on my phone, it reads 6:30, “half an hour, now if you'll excuse me, I have to shower and get ready for this date with this cute boy.”

I go through this little checklist, I used it when I was in my freshman year.Shower, comb hair, brush teeth, get dressed. Now, that that's over, I grab my helmet, my jacket, my keys, and my wallet. Each step towards the front door is another step closer to Lance, and I think this is the most ready I've ever- holy shit it's almost 7, I've gotta fucking go. “Bye Shiro! Don't burn the house down, let Adam cook, maybe you'll learn something!” I hear Adam chuckle and before I get a response I'm out the door. 

Helmet. On. Leather. Check. Pure fear of anything that can happen. Obviously, wouldn't leave the house without it. 

Let's fucking go. 

(Lance's POV)

6:45. It's 6:45 and I'm not even remotely ready. Why does cupcake wars have to be so damn addicting?  
“Hunk, I believe it's time I leave you while I take a shower and get ready for this date in the quickest way I know how.” I do this little bow, and he just gives me a thumbs up and goes right back to watching people frantically run around a kitchen. 

I stare at that same fogged up mirror that I've known for so long, that I've looked into on a daily basis, but today it's different. I feel something looming over it.  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
I wipe the steam away before I can think too much about this. I brush through my hair a little bit, brush my teeth, make sure I put on a shit ton of deodorant on because I know I'm gonna be sweating like crazy. Thinking about this is making me both excited and terrified all at once. What if tonight goes to shit? What if one of us does something stupid, what if I do something stupid? What if I'm Cinderella and at the stroke of midnight I turn into a pumpkin? He'd be so freaked out, he'd never talk to me again. I'd be an actual pumpkin. I don't want to live the rest of my life as a squash. 

“Lance? Buddy? Keith is here, and don't die when you see your ride.” Keith's timing is terrible, my hair, it's an actual rats nest. “Hunk, tell him I'll be out soon, just don't invite him in.” I yell from the bathroom. “Ha, Ha, Yeah, he's totally not in the house already.” I know that sarcastic response when I hear it, he's probably sitting on the couch by now. If only Hunk wasn't so damn lovable and nice. “Ah, yes, great, thanks for that Hunk, I greatly appreciate that.” I whisper to the mirror, trying to get everything perfect, putting myself in the right state of mind. Everything's going to work out, we're going to have fun, and everything will be amazing. I walk down the hallway, confident and anxious all at once. Every step I get closer to him the more I worry, but also, the more excited I get.  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
Seconds feel like an eternity, that eternity feels like a little infinity.  
Tick  
Tick  
Tick  
At the end of the hallway, I see Keith sitting on the couch, in my spot, and I'm mesmerized by the way he pulled his hair back into a ponytail. He had a few loose strands, mostly by his ears and up near his eyes. I feel my body moving through the air, I feel my converse walking over there, and subconsciously I suppose, I get closer to Keith, take a strand of Keith’s hair between my fingers, and tuck it behind his ear. Holy shit holy shit holy shit. “Lance? Lance.” Hunk whispers, and I snap out of it, and here I go, panicking again. “Oh my god I'm so sorry, I just spaced out and I've never really seen your hair like this and I've never really been this nervous before and I'm probably rambling right now and I want to stop but I know I can't and I'm sorry and just-” I'm stumbling over my words while looking at the converse that so betrayed me by not tripping me when Keith interrupts and says, “Lance,” is all he says and I just look up into his eyes, I catch myself staring. I can't help but notice the little flecks of blue and gold in his violet eyes. I snap myself out, “Well, let's get this show on the road, mullet.” He stands up, and we say goodbye to Hunk. 

My first step out the door and there's a motorcycle in my driveway. A motorcycle. “Mullet, you better have a good explanation as to why this motorcycle is in my driveway.” Hunk was right, I was going to be dead within a matter of seconds. Keith shuffled his feet and hung his head. His hand resting on the back of his neck, “Well, ya see, Lance, uhhhh, ummm” but I interrupt him before he can turn the same shade of red as his motorcycle. ¨Actually, you know what, I like it. I didn't know you even liked motorcycles.” It was almost like a lightswitch had been flipped on in his head. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree in December. Okay but why do I feel my heart doing front flips from this???? Ahhh??? His smile??? I feel all warm??? How is it legal for someone to be this cute???  
¨I bought Red when I was maybe 16, I started saving when I was 14 for her. I worked every shift I could, saved every penny. She’s been the one constant in my life for awhile.” He does this cute little smile, like a half smile, but it’s the most genuine thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Wait, is that how I look when I talk about him? Oh geez, Hunk knows all about it too, I swear.  
“So, uh, are we going on this date or what?” Keith stuck his hand out for me to take, grinning a little bit.  
“You know it, but only as long as you don’t murder me on the way over with your motorcycle,” I say, flashing a smile at him. And with that, we walked down the driveway and hopped on the motorcycle. He handed me the extra helmet before he started Red up, and the only thing he said before we took off was, “hold on tight, McClain.” not a second later, we took off on our way to our date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism and comments are recommended! Also leave kudos if you liked it because that's the validation for my happiness, much thank lol!

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism and comments are recommended! Also leave kudos if you liked it because that's the validation for my happiness, much thank lol!


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